Atalanta vs Marseille: Betting Odds & Prediction
(Featured image: Alamy Images)
An in-form Atalanta side host French outfit Marseille for the second leg of their Europa League semi-final.
The tie remains finely poised following a 1-1 draw in France last week. Kick-off is set for 8pm UK time at Gewiss Stadium.
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Atalanta
The hosts come into the match with just one defeat in their last eight outings in all competitions. Their only blemish was a 1-0 home loss to Liverpool during the quarter-final stage of the competition, but Atalanta already headed into the game with a healthy 3-0 aggregate lead. Gian Piero Gasperini's side continued their positive run with a 2-1 away win at Salernitana at the weekend.
Only four sides have bettered their home form in Serie A this season, and the Liverpool defeat remains the Italians' sole loss on home turf in Europe. Three of their other four matches at Gewiss Stadium have ended in victory.
A solid return of 1.2 goals at home is buoyed by a superb defensive record; Atalanta have averaged just 0.6 goals conceded in front of their home fans in Europe. Two of their five outings have ended in clean sheet at home, and they are yet to concede more than once in a single game this term.
Though the record makes for positive reading, Gasperini's men will welcome the Europa League's top-scorer in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on Thursday.
Who'll reach the #UELfinal?
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âšī¸ Semi-final second-legs
đī¸ 09.05.2024
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Marseille
Jean Louis-Gasset's side have not played since the first leg at Stade Vélodrome last week. A run of four consecutive losses in March has since been followed by a five-match unbeaten streak, three of which have ended in draws.
Scoring goals has hardly been a problem for Marseille, who have averaged 1.5 scored on the road in the Europa League this season. Though they've failed to score in just one away outing in the Europa League, their main problem lies in their defensive record.
Eleven goals conceded in six has left the French side with an alarming average of 1.83 conceded in away fixtures so far. They've kept just one clean sheet on their travels, and have shipped three or more on three separate occasions in the competition so far.
Prediction
It's hard to back a Marseille victory in this one given their woes at the back, particularly given the hosts' impressive record at the Gewiss Stadium this term.